Rock-core drill



(No Model!) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. G. BULLOGK. ROCK GORE DRILL.

No. 473,908. Patented May 3, 1892.

L l 2 1 l l lo 70 A A A a C 27W E fw 4 4 unimi 4 (No Model.) 43 sheets-sheet 2. M. C. BULLOCK. ROCK GORE DRILL.

Patented May 3, 1892.

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(No Model.) 3 sheets-Sheet 3. M. C. BULLOOK. ROCK GORE DRILL.

No. 473,908l Patented May` 43, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILAN C. BULLOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROCK-CORE DRILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 473,908, dated May 3, 1892. Application filed June 29, 1888. Renewed October 5, 1891. Serial No. 407.669. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, MILAN C. BULLocK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rock-Core Drills; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its primary obj ect to provide a construction in rock-core drills by which the core of rock may be taken out of the hole being drilled without withdrawing the drill-rod.

To this end the invention consists, primarily and broadly, in a tubular drill-rod the interior diameter of which is throughout the length of the same as large or larger than the smallest diameter of the drill-head, whereby a core may be raised through the drill-rod and in the operation of removing the core the drill-rod may be left in the hole. This branch of the invention embraces subordinate features having for their object the Inore convenient accomplishment of the primary purpose stated, among which is a grapple for seizing and raising the core-lifter.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a construction by which to prevent attrition of the core and to enable it so far as possible to be withdrawn intact or uninjured. To this end another feature of the invention consists in a tubular rotating drillrod provided with an interior core-lifter removable upwardly through the drill-rod and detachably connected therewith and having rotatable connection with the parts connecting it with the drill-rod, so that it may be held from rotation by engagement with the core, or at least maybe retarded thereby, so that it will not rotate at the high speed of the drillrod itself, and which therefore does not seriously wear away or tend to break up and destroy the core.

These and other features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the core-lifter is shown in the form of a tube or barrel.

Figure l is a central vertical section of a tubular drill-rod, showing therein and also in central vertical section the upper portion of a removable core lifter or barrel connected rotatably with devices by which the core-barrel is detachably held down when the drill is shown at the bottom of the drill-rod in Fig. 2.

Fig. Il is a transverse section of the drill-rod and the locking devices of the core-barrel in the line 4 e of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is avertical section of the lower end of a tubular drill-rod and the lower end of the core-barrel therein, 7o

the cutter-head being slightly different in construction from that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows in partial section a form of harpoon or grapple adapted for the withdrawal of theremovable core-barrel, the dogs of the harpoon being shown expanded into engagement with an interior shoulder on the upper end of a sheath or tube, (seen in section,) which connects with the removable core-barrel. Fig. 7

illustrates in central vertical section the lower 8o end of the harpoon sheath-tube, the upper portion of which is shown in Fig. 6, and also a recessed head attached to the lower end of the sheath-tube, together with a portion of the rod, in side View, which connects the recessed head of the bottom of the sheath-tube with the core-barrel, and a continuation of which is shown in Fig. Fig. 8 is a horizontal or transverse section in the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Figs. 9, 10, and 1l illustrate another 9o construction of the cutting devices in which part of the cutter is upon the drill-rod and part upon the removable core-barrel. These figures also show incidentally a construction of the two-part cutter by which the core-barrel is made to rotate with the drill-tube. Fig. 9 is a central vertical section of the outer part of the cutter which is attached to the drillrod; Fig. 10, a side View of the cutter-head upon the core-barrel, and Fig. ll a vertical Ico section of the two parts united in working position. Fig. 12 illustrates a modification of the dogs which hold the core-lifter in place.

A A is a tubular drill-rod composed of sec- Fig. 2 is a central vertical 6o tions of tubing connected by suitable couplings A A.

B is any suitable form of annular drill or cutter-head, which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as a single piece attached to the lower end of the drill-rod A, but which is shown in Figs. 9, lO, and ll as being made in two parts, one part being attached to the foot of the drillrod and the other part (the lower end) t0 the core-barrel. By the rotation of the drill-rod and the cutter-head an annular cut will be made in a rock, leaving a central core standing within the core-barrel. The cutter-head B is commonly armed with diamonds; but for the general purposes of my invention it may be constructed in any suitable manner to cut away the rock.

C is the core lifter or barrel, located within the tubular drill-rod A. It occupies the lower part of the drill-rod and is of any desired length, being commonly from sixteen to thirty feet long, or of suicient length to accommodate the longest section of core which it may be desired to take out at one time. The corebarrel is externally somewhat less in diameter than the interior of the d rill-rod, in order that it may be freely lifted through said drill-rod for the purpose of removing the core and of being lowered again to its place for further work. Interiorly the core-barrel is of about the same diameter as the central passage l) through the cutlerhead,or it maybe slightly larger than said passage. The core-barrel is commonly supported upon an annular shoulder projecting from the inner surface of the drill-rod. In the present instance such a shoulder is shown as being formed by the upper end of the coupling A of the drill-rod, (seen at the lower end of Fig. 1,) and the core-barrel structure is seen to be supported from this shoulder by the loose steel ring d4. In Fig. 2 the lower end of the core-barrel is shown as also resting upon aloose ring b3, which in turn is supported by an annular shoulder b2 on the inner surface of the cutter-head B. In Fig. 5 the lower end of the core-barrel only proximates the shoulder b2 on the cutter-head, and said shoulder is inclined for a purpose that will be hereinafter explained.

Interiorly thecore-barrel C is provided near its lower end with a conical enlargement C', having its greater' diameter at the top, and within this conical enlargement or recess is located a contractible metal ring C2 for the purpose of gripping and supporting the core when the core-barrel is raised. rlhe ring C2 is open at one side to permit of its spreading and contracting, slashed or cut part way through vertically from the interior at several points,as shown, so as to be freely flexible. The gripping-ring C2 is of such normal diameter as to drop to or near the lower part of the conical recess C', and in this position its interior diameter is less than that of the core which will be cut by the drill. On the other hand, when expanded in the upper part of the conical reand it is also desirably:

cess C the ring C2 has an interiordiameter large enough to permit the core to pass through it. The ring will be forced upward and expanded by the core as the latter is formed, and when the core-barrel is lifted the ring, which embraces it closely, will be drawn downward in the conical recess. At the same time it bites the core, and through this gripping action of the ring the core will be broken off and brought upward with the core-barrel.

To the upper end of the core-barrel C is secured a tubular head C3, presenting an interior shoulder c2 at its lower end and having lateral passages c3 for water. Above the head C3 of the core-barrel is located a short tube D, having at its lower end an axially-recessed head D and at its upper end a longitudinally-pierced head D2, secured thereto by screw-threads, as shown, or otherwise in any suitable manner. The head D is connected to the head C3 by means of a swivel-pin D3, which is provided at its lower end with a head or enlargement d, extending beneath the shoulder c2 on the head C3, and at its upper end is screwed or otherwise fastened to the lower end of the head D. This swivel-pin D3 thus forms a connection between the head D and the head C3 which permits their relative rotation and through which the core-barrel maybe raised by force applied to the head. The central passage d through the pin D3 communicates with the recess d2 in the head D2, and from the latter extend radial openings d to afford passage for water either from the interior of the core-barrel to the interior of the drill-rod or in the opposite direction, according with the mode of introducing water to the cutters. Between the heads D and C3 are desirably placed steel friction-rings d d5, and between the shoulder c2 and the head d are placed corresponding rings d6.

In the walls of the tube D, between the heads D and D2, is cut a series of vertical slots (Z7, in which are fitted dogs E, mounted between their ends on pivots e and having their outer faces c e2, respectively, above and below these pivots arranged at an obtuse an- -gle with each other, as shown, so that when the upper ends of the dogs are thrown outward through the slots into 'bearing against the drill-tube A the lower ends stand inward, and vice versa. The dogs E are so placed that when the core-barrel rests upon its supporting-shoulder, as described, they may be expanded to project beneath a downwardlyfacing shoulder ct, formed by the lower end of an adjacent coupling A of the drill-tube, as shown in Fig. l,or byarecess in said coupling, as shown in Fig. 2. The dogs E therefore retain the core-barrel in its proper position against any tendency on the part of the core or of water-pressure within the drill-rod to raise it.

For the purpose of expanding and retracting the upper ends of the dogs E a spool F is provided, consisting of two cones F F2, connected with their smaller ends toward each IOO IIO

erases s other by a spindle f. The spool F has a vertical movement between the heads D and D2, and in a downward movement of said spool to the position shown in Fig. l its upper cone F descends between the upper ends of the dogs E and forces them outward, while an upward movement of the spool brings the lower cone F2 between the lower ends of the dogs, and, spreading these, contracts the upper of said dogs, so as to release them from engagement with the shoulder a. or to enable them to clear said shoulder. TWhen the dogs E are thus retracted, the core-barrel and its immediate connections may be all lifted out of the drill-rod, and in such upward movement of the core-barrel the core is gripped firmly by the ring C2 and broken off, allowing the core which occupies the core-barrel C to be withdrawn with said core-barrel precisely as in former constructions in which the core-barrel is part of the drill-rod.

The lifting of the core-barrel and its adjuncts described is accomplished through the medium of a short rod F2, which is connected to the upper end of the spool F, and, passing through the axial aperture in the head D2, is attached at its upper end to a part adapted to he engaged by the grapple. Such part as here illustrated consists of a tube G, having near its upper end an inner annular undercut shoulder g and at its lower end a head G, provided in its upper end with a recess G2. This head G is fastened to the rod F3, which rod is enough longer than the head D2, through which it passes, to allow of the desired vertical movement of the spool F between the heads D and D2.

H, Fig. l, is a harpoon or grapple consisting of a rod Il', having at its upper end an eye H2 for the attachment of a suitable rope. The lower end of the rod H is contracted desirably to a conical form, as shown at 7i, and through the rod is a slot h', extending nearly to its lower end. lVithin this slot are pivoted at their upper ends two expanding dogs H3, normally held apart or spread at their lower ends by a spring h2. The dogs are provided each with a shoulder h3 on its outer face and near its lower end adapted in form to reliably engage with the correspondingly-shaped annular shoulder g on the inside of the tube G. A shoulder 7b4 is provided at a higher point on one or each of said dogs.

I is a sleeve, which loosely surrounds the rod Il and which when raised rises` above the shoulder or shoulders tton the dog or dogs and is supported thereby. The sleeve I is in thickness about equal to the projection of the shoulder h4 and equal to or greater than the projection of the shoulders h3 on the dogs and in diameter less than the mouth of the tube G. The dogs at the lower shoulder may therefore be sprung inward a distance equal to the length of said lower shoulders without releasing the sleeve from the upper shoulder or shoulders, but a further and sufficient retraction of the lower ends of the dogs will let the tube G; but when the dogs are forced inward, i

so that their shoulders only project beyond the diameter of the rod H', the tube I will drop down over them and against the shoulders h3 thereon, and thereby retain the dogs in their retracted position. In this retracted position of the dogs they may manifestly pass out of the tube G without engaging with the shoulder g. Below the shoulder h2 the dogs H2 are tapered to their ends, so that their lower extremities present no shoulder projecting beyoud the diameter of the rod II', but, on the other hand, a continuation of the taper or incline of the point 71, of said rod. It the grapple be lowered with the dogs extended, therefore, it enters the tube G by a partial retraction of the dogs in passing the shoulder g, while if the grapple be still farther lowered, until it rests in the recess G2, its dogs will be found fully retracted and the sleeve I will fall until it rests on the lower shoulders h2. Accordingly when it is desired to grapple the corebarrel, as when a coreis to be withdrawn, the harpoon is lowered only far enough to catch on the shoulder g; but when it is desired to release the harpoon from the core-barrel, as when the latter is returned to its place, the harpoon is let down within said tube G until it enters and rests with its weight in the recess G2, and the dogs Hbeiug thus retracted the loose sleeve I drops down overthem,after which the harpoon may be raised past the shoulder g and out of the drill-tube.

In letting the core-barrel and its connections down into the drill-tube bymeans of the harpoon above described the entire structure from the head D2 downward is manifestly suspended by the rod F3 and spool F and the upper cone F is in bearing against the lower surface of said head D2. The spool is therefore held in its elevated position in this operation and the dogs E are retained in their retracted attitude by the weight of the suspended structure. As soon, however, as the core-barrel strikes its stop or support the spool F will descend into contact with the head Dby its own weight and that of the tube G and head G. In such descent of the spool the lower cone F2 thereof is removed from between the lower ends of the dogs E and the upper cone F enters between the upper ends of the said dogs and forces them outward, retaining them thus expanded until the spool is again raised.

To facilitate the lifting of the spool F, the upper end of the recessed head D is provided with one or more passages ZS for air or water for the equalization of pressure on opposite surfaces of the spool.

Vater maybe supplied to the cutter at the lower end of the tubular drill-rod either by the long-familiar mode of sending it downward through the rod and allowing it to rise IIO outside the rod to the surface of the ground or rock or by sending the water downward through the hole externally to the drill-tube and upwardly through the latter. To facilitate the passage of water from the exterior of the drill-rod to the space between the drillrod and the core-barrel, either of several oonstructions may be employed.

Figs. 2 and 3, which present different views of the same single form of cutter, show the cutter-heads provided with external vertical grooves b4, transverse grooves b5 in the lower face of the cutter, and vertical holes h6 through the inner projecting part of the cutter, said holes opening at the ledge b2. If the frictionring b3 be present, it may be provided with an annular groove b7 in its lower face, in constant communication with the holes b and with a 4series of vertical holes bs, leading from this annular groove to the space between the drilltube and the core-barrel. A sufficient quantity of water will passbeneath the face of the cutter (between the diamond points or other cutting projections therein) from outside the drill-rod into the core-barrel around the core, or vice versa, to carry off the detritus.

In the form of cutter shown in Fig. 5, dotted lines show the cutter-head to be provided with external vertical grooves7 transverse bottom grooves extending to the inner edge of the face of the cutter, and connecting-grooves which pass upward alongl the inner surface of the cutter-head into communication with the space between the foot-piece of the core-barrel and the inner wall of the tubular cutterhead. In this drawing the ring b3 is omitted.

In Fig. 1 the lowermost coupling A of the tubular drill-rod is shown as proximating the exterior surface of the core-barrel and tubular head C3, and in Fig. 2 the drill-tube is shown as having an interior sleeve d .just above the cutter-head, which similarly proxi- .mates thelower end of the core-barrel. While the space between the core-barrel and the coupling and sleeve mentioned is sufficient to allow free rotary motion of one relatively to the other and also a sufficiently free passage of water about the core-barrel to prevent the latter from binding in the drill-tube, such space is, on the other hand, small enough to insure suitable external support for the corebarrel to prevent undue vibration ofthe latter as the drill-tube is rotated and consequent breaking up of core. The lower end of the swivel-pin D3 is shown in Fig. l as being provided with projections ew, having spaces C19 between them. These projections will be struck by the top of the core should the latter be cut long enough to reach them, and notwithstanding such contact the water will have free passage through the spaces di. The projections 610 therefore prevent interruption of the proper movement of water to the surface should. the core be allowed to reach the extreme upper end of the core-barrel.

It will be understood that the swiveled connection of the core-barrel proper (shown in Fig. 1) is one that allows the tube D to rotate with the drill-tube through the bearing-contact of the dogs E with the shoulder a, while the core-barrel C may stand still with the core or may rotate only slightly from contact with rotating parts. Such slight rotation of the core-barrel is not sufficient to destroy or seriously wear away the core itself, although the latter be quite soft. It is also to be understood that this provision for the non-rotation of the core-barrel is a separate and distinct improvement upon which the principal improvement of a removable core-barrel does not depend. For the purposes of the lastmentioned and principal part of the invention the core-barrel may be directly and rigidly connected with the head D', or it may be directly secured to the drill-rod, so as to rotate therewith, either as shown in Figs. 9, IO, and ll or otherwise. The construction which allows the core-barrel to rotate at a less speed than the drill-rod or not at all is, however, preferable for the reasons stated, and is claimed, in combination with the other main features of the apparatus, as part of my in- Vention.

Referringto the construction shown in Figs. 9, lO, and l1, the cutter-head B is shown as being constructed of two parts-to wit, an outer part B, which is attached to the lower end of the drill-tube, and an inner part B2, which is attached to the lower end of the corebarrel. The lower or working faces of these parts B B2 are flush with each other when the core-barrel rests upon its support, and each is armed with diamonds or other form of cutters. A special advantage of this twopart construction of the cutter-head resides in the fact that when the core-barrel is removed for the withdrawal of a core the condition of the diamonds or cutters on the corebarrel may be inspected, and from their condition that of the diamonds or cutters on the drill-rod may be with reasonable certainty inferred. When, therefore, the diamonds .on the core-barrel part of the cutter-head shall, for example, be found to have been loosened or the condition of the diamonds or cutters indicates the necessity for their renewal, it will be understood that the drill-tube should be withdrawn for corresponding treatment of the cutters thereon. In said Figs. 9, 10, and l1 is also shown another feature of construction by which the two parts Band B2 of the cutter-head are locked together, so as to rotate in unison. For this purpose the part B2 is provided with vertical ribs b9, the lower ends of which are narrowed or pointed, and the inner surface ofthe outer part B of the cutter is provided with corresponding recesses b1", the ribs bu between which are pointed at their upper ends. This pointed construction of the interlocking ribs obviously permits them to readily engage when the corebarrel is lowered to its place. By placing diamonds on the ends of the ribs b9 and Z211 a proper distribution of the diamonds can be made to cover the entire field. The core-barrel is shown to be non-rotatably attached to the part B2 of this two-part cutter, (shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11;) but manifestly it may be rotatably connected therewith, if desired, by familiar mechanical devices.

The principal advantage of a removable core-barrel results from the great saving thereby effected in the time required to remove a core. In the use of the former construction, in which the core-barrel cannot be lifted through the drill-rod, it is ot' course necessary to raise the drill-rod out of the hole to discharge the core. After reaching a considerable depth this operation consumes a long time. Thus in the case of a hole two thousand feet deep ten hours hard work by several men will be a short allowance in which to raise the rod, remove the core, and return the rod to the bottom of the hole ready to resume boring. By the use of a removable core-barrel the same work may be accomplished with far less help in the brief time of twenty or thirty minutes. rlhe value of this saving is augmented by reason of the great cost of the plant and the expensive nature of the work and in many instances by the necessity of completing the work within available weather.

Bein gthe first to employan upwardly-removable core-barrel with a drill-tube, whereby the core maybe lifted out of the hole through the tube and the latter left in the hole while the core is being removed, I do not wish to be restricted to the particular details of construction shown, since these may manifestly be widely varied in many ways.

I claim as my invention- 1. A tubular drill-rod provided with an annular cutting-head at its lower end, said drill-rod having an internal diameter not less than the smallest diameter of the drill-head throughout its entire length above the drillhead, thereby allowing the upward passage of a rock-core through the drill-rod, substantially as described.

2. A tubular drill-rod provided with an interior core-lifter which is removable upwardly through the drill-rod, whereby a core may be removed from a hole without withdrawing the drill-rod.

3. The combination, with a tubular drillrod, of an interior core-lifter which is removable upwardly through the drill-rod and is provided with a clamp for grippinga rock-core and a detachable fastening for holding the core-lifter from rising within the drill-rod while the core is being formed and advanced therein.

4. In combination with a rotating tubular drill-rod, an interior core lifter or barrel which is removable upwardly through the drill-rod and is relatively rotatable in the drill-rod and a fastening for detachably holding the corelifter in operative position within the drillrod. f

5. The combination, with a tubular drillrod, of an interior core-lifter provided at its lower end with a grip for seizing a core and at its upper end with a shouldered part or eX- tension for engagement with a suitable harpoon or grapple to be let down into the drillrod for the purpose of seizing and lifting it out of the drill-rod.

G. The combination, in a rock-drilling apparatus, of a tubular drill-rod, a core-lifter within and upwardly removable through the drill-rod, a grip belonging to the core-lifter for seizing the core, and a separate grapple for seizing the core-lifter.

7. The combination, with a tubulardrill-rod and acore-lifter upwardly removable through the drill-rod, of a two-part cutter, one part of which is attached to the drill-rod and the other part of which is attached to the core-lifter.

8. The combination, with a tubular drill-rod and a core-lifter within and upwardly removable through the drill-rod, of a cutter-head composed of two an nularparts, one within the other, said parts of the cutter being provided with interengaging projections and recesses on their adjacent faces and said projections being armed with diamonds or other cutters.

9. rlhe combination, with a tubular drill-rod provided with a downwardly-facing shoulder, of an interior core lifter or barrel which is removable upwardly through the tubular drillrod and is provided with one or more retractible dogs arranged to engage the shoulder of the drill-rod.

10. The combination, with a tubular drillrod provided with an interior shoulder facing upward and at a higher point with an interior shoulder facing downward, of an interior core lifter or barrel which is removable upwardly through the drill-rod and is adapted to rest upon the upwardly-facing shoulder and provided with one or more retractible dogs arranged to engage the downwardly-facing shoulder.

11. The combination, with a tubular drillrod provided with a downwardly-facing shoulder, of an interior removable core-lifter provided with retractible dogs to engage said shoulder, a lengthwise-movable double-cone spool for throwing and retractingthe dogs, which also, when lifted, suspends the corelifter, and a harpoon or grapple which detachably connects with the spool.

12. In a grapple or harpoon for detachable connection with an interior upwardly-removable core-lifter of deep-rock tubular drills, the combination of a recessed rod H', pivoted eX- pansion-dogs H3, provided with shoulders h3 h4, and a sliding sleeve I, substantially as described.

13. The combination,with a removable corelifter for tubular rock-drills, provided with an interiorly-shouldered tube G, having a recessed bottom or base, of a harpoon or grapple II, comprising a rod Il', a loose sleeve I, and shouldered expanding dogs H3, which are retracted by entering the recess of the base.

14. The combination, with a tubular drill- IDO IIO

rod A, of an interior core-lifter C, having a tubular extension D, provided with centrally pivoted dogs E for engaging the drill-rod, a double-cone spool in the tube D for shifting the dogs, an apertured head D', attached to the tube D, a rod F3, connected with the spool and extending through the head D', a head G', connected with the rod F3 and provided with a recess G2, a tube G, connected with the head G' and provided wit-11 an anuularshoulder g, and a harpoon II, comprising a rod Il',

having its lower end formed to enter the recess G2 and provided With shouldered expandlng dogs, and a sliding sleeve I.

MILAN C. vBULLOCK.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, C. CLARENCE POOLE. 

